Improvement im fire-extinguishers



1. s. TIBBET S.

\Fire-Exting uishers.

No. 140,744. Patented July 8,1873.

Inventor:

Attorneys.

AM PHOTOi/THOGRAPHIC ca MK(osBoRn/I9 mocsss) JONATHAN S: TIBBETS, OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-EXTINGQISHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ldofld fi, dated July 8, 1873 application filed May 31, 18.73.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN S. Trnnnrs, of J eflersonville, in the county of Clarke and State of Indiana, have invented Improvements in Fire-Extinguishers, of which the fol lowing is a specification:

The nature of my invention consists, principally, in so connecting the alkali and acid cylinders of a fire-extinguisher, by means of what may be termed a diving tube, that a column of air will be confined in said tube in the operation of charging the generator, which will prevent the accidental mixing of the chemicals until the apparatus is tilted, in the manner hereinafter "explained. This airtube may be used, either alone or in connection with cocks, to prevent the passage of the substances from one cylinder into the other. My invention further consists in certain details of construction, which will be fully explained in the ensuing description, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevation of my improved fire-extinguisher, showing its position when resting upon the ground at an inclination. Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

The same letters of reference are used in both figures in the designation of identical I parts.

The large cylinder A is intended to receive the alkali or other ma erial, which, when combined with sulphuric acid, will form the extinguishing gas. It has the form of a large can with a neck, through which the alkali can be introduced, and which is closed airtight by a screw-plug, M. At this end it is also provided with a nozzle, L, for the attachment of a hose. The cylinder B, made of lead or other material which will not corrode under the action of sulphuric acid, is arranged upon the outside and parallel to the alkalicylinder, being secured thereto in any suitable manner. Its neck end terminates on about a line with the neck end of the cylinder A, and it is hermetically closed, when charged with acid, by a screw-cap, N. The two cylinders communicate near their neck ends by a pipe or passage, a, through which the acid is to be discharged from the cylinder B into the cylinder A, when the apparatus is to be brought nto action. This pipe or passagea does not open directly into the. cylinder A,

but into a chamber or pipe, G, which has the 'of the cylinder A, terminating with an open end, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

I11 charging the apparatus, the cylinder B is first furnished with the appropriate quantity of acid, and again closed air tight by means of the screw-cap N 5 after that the cylinder A is filled with the alkaline solution, which, though the cylinder may be charged to the top, cannot rise in the pipe G beyond a certain height by reason of the confined body of air therein. In practice, the construction of the parts will be such that the level of the alkaline solution in the diving pipe G will be a good distance below the pipe or passage a, so that the apparatus may be handled as necessary'without danger of spilling the alkaline solution over into the acid-cylinder.

J is the equalizing-pipe, which, communicating through the diving pipe G with the body of the cylinder A, extends about halfway, or more, across the acid-cylinder B, and acts in the usual manner to force the acid over into the alkali when the extinguisher is in operation. In the example illustrated, the pipes to and J are furthermore controlled by cocks U and D, connected at F, so that they may be opened and closed simultaneously by a single lever or handle, E, which can be locked, when the cocks are closed, by the spring-hookH.

The diving pipe G is still of great benefit where the cooks are used, because the confined body of air therein will be a safeguard against mixing the materials of the two cylinders at improper times, where the cooks are accidentally left open or turned. Where the cooks are entirely omitted, it is preferable to lead the equalizing-pipe through the passage a, and out just beyond the throat of the divingpipe G.

The quantity of acid in the cylinder B is so proportioned that it will not run over into the pipe to until the cylinder reaches an inclination greater than that shown in the drawing, Fig. 1, where the bottom end of the generator is shown as resting upon the ground, and its other end is supported at a considerable ele vation by the block or standard K, which is secured to its shell upon the side opposite to that where the acid-cylinder is carried.

The strap I is so disposed that the extinguisher can be carried across the back of a person; but care must be taken in strapping it on to not tilt it beyond the inclination indicated. The moment that is done the acid will run over into the pipe a, and through the diving pipe G into cylinder A, and the gas-generating process begin, the air from the diving pipe rising into the acid-cylinder, to permit the free flow of the acid. 7

The standard K, as applied, is quite an important element of the extinguisher, for it guards against the untimely mixing of the gasgenerating substances when the apparatus is turned down.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The communicating pipe or passage between the acid-chamber and the generator of a fire-extinguisher, in combination with a diving pipe which covers said passage where it opens into the generator, and, extending into the latter, operates in the manner specified.

2. The-c0mbination of the cylinder A, diving pipe G, cocks O and D, respectively controlling the pipe or passage to and the equalizing-pipe J, and acid-cylinder B, all arranged and operating substantially as specified.

JONATHAN S. TIBBETS.

Witnesses: HENRY O. JONES, J OSEPH L. GRANDELL. 

